As the crew members departed the war room, only Hamund and Ken remained seated, the heavy silence between them growing stronger by the second. The once-lively room now felt cold and empty, the vibrant lights of the map had faded and been replaced by small lights streamed across the walls. The faint hum of the ships engines filled the void between them as Hamund’s sinister smile left Ken uncomfortably aware of the man before him.

Ken swallowed, trying to stead his nerves, but the grin on Hamunds face made his skin crawl. He knew of Hamund’s lethality and he had toppled many dangerous men in his time, men whose ambitions ran far deeper than their morality, but Hamund–Hamund was different. His ruthlessness wasn’t driven by the normal selfish ambitions; it was fueled by something colder, something more resolute. Ken knew this man was infinitely more dangerous than anyone he had crossed.

Hamund leaned back in his chair his eyes glinted with a mix of amusement and deep thought of what his next words would be. “Do you know what they called me back home?”

Ken met Hamund gaze, he wanted to read Hamund next move but was unable to. “What was it that they called you?”

Hamund’s smile broadened slightly, his glare reflected his attitude stubborn and unmoving. “They called me the Kingmaker” he said, those words seemed to fill the empty room.

Ken’s brows furrowed, trying to understand what the title implicated. “Why, the Kingmaker?”

Hamund leaned forward slightly and replied “It is not a title my people gave lightly. Hell its not a title I ever thought I was worthy of. Essentially it implied I had the power to shape destinies, raise leaders, and to dismantle those who no longer served my purpose…” Hamund paused for a minute as he placed his war torn hands upon the table. “People said from a young age, I had the gift of words. In the same breath I could imprison leaders and replace them with little effort. Their wasn’t a governing body I didn’t have my hands in. I always strived to suit the greater good, not once did I act on my own self interest.”

Ken felt his anxiety return as his right leg began to bounce up and down. “What does that have to do with me?”

Hamund smiled as he locked eyes with Ken “Nothing for now, we share a common goal. You must understand that your place on my ship is never guaranteed. As you have witnessed my influence is a double-edged sword. I can help you achieve your goals, but I can also have you killed should our goals collide.” he takes a breath before continuing “I say this to let you know, I have seen many men like you. The smartest one in the room, no one can tell you anything. Determined to use everyone in your path to meet your goal. All have failed once they sat at the table with me, you will too.”

Ken’s pulse quickened, but it wasn’t fear, this time it was intrigue. He had never known a man who he shared a hateful respect for. “What do you expect of me?”

“I didn’t bring you along because I thought we couldn’t make this trip without you. I have trusted my crew to sail the cosmos more times than I can count, I brought you along because I wanted you to prove your worth. Prove to me that our paths remain true, sail the treacherous waters of our alliance, and you will see what a true Kingmaker can do.”

“There is no room for kings in the abyss!” Ken shouts as he slams his hands on the table pretending to be upset about the situation in front of him. Ken thought to himself with Hamunds help nothing could prevent him from reaching his true potential. Ken, although intrigued by Hamunds talks of power, did believe his statement of no room for kings in the abyss, but the cosmos was merely a playground for gods.

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Ken’s hands lingered on the table, still trembling from the force of his outburst. He clenched his jaw, grinding his teeth in an attempt to calm himself. As Ken looked across the table he saw Hamund. He hadn’t moved, hadn’t blinked, he just sat there, staring at Ken as if his outburst was little more than a child's tantrum.

Hamund’s disinterest gnawed at Ken, fueling the fire Ken felt inside, the mix of excitement with a genuine need to break the man in front of him. Ken understood the Kingmaker title, this was a man more calculated than he led on, every word, every action and inaction was a weapon.

“I see your game, Hamund” Ken muttered, his voice lower now, more measured, trying to match Hamund’s calm demeanor. “But youre wrong about one thing.”

Hamund’s eyebrows raised slightly, the first sign of acknowledgement, though faint “Oh, do tell”

Ken leaned back, mirroring Hamunds earlier stance, extending the silence between them for a moment. He could sense the tension, the unspoken challenge hanging above the two players at the table. “I’m not like the others who sit at your table.” Ken said. “I have no desire to be made a king. I have had to shape my own destiny from my first breath. You look at me as if I am merely a pawn on your board. Many things have been said today but let me make my position clear, Hamund…”

Ken leaned forward, Locking eyes with Hamund, his voice now cold and firm. “I don’t play by your rules, I only play by my own.”

A flicker of amusement glimmered from behind Hamund’s eyes, his face remained disinterested, “That remains to be seen,” Hamund says as he glared through Ken “but remember, Ken, should you seek power you will need to garner the respect of others. No kingdom stands on the back of one man.”

Hamund rotates his chair as he stairs into the shadows painted on the wall. Hamund smiles and asks “Do you know the story of Fenrir?”

Ken’s brow furrowed as he peered into the shadows. He envisioned the story of Fenrir the wolf, son of Loki. “It was the story of a beast, told by men too afraid to confront their reality.” Ken pauses before continuing with “Something about bringing about ragnarok, the end of everything.”

Hamund chuckled, his back still turned to Ken as he stared into the shadows. “That is the story the gods wish for us to tell, yes. But the story hold so many more truths behind its vail. Fenrir was no mindless beast. He was born of chaos, this is true, but I would say his anger was justified–his rebellion inevitable. The gods feared him, not because he was a beast, but because he was their equal in power. In potential. So they bound him in chains, thinking they could control chaos itself.”

Ken’s leg began to bounce again, his anger held back with a slight release as he asked “And?”

“and “ Hamund continued, his voice running through the shadows of the room “Fenrir snapped his chains. But not before he was locked away by the gods, a fate sealed in the blood of his closest friend Tyr. Even though the gods knew he would one day break free as bound by fate, they still bound him. Fenrir was not a threat because he sought destruction, but because he represented the fall of everything the gods built.”

Hamund turned back to face ken, his eyes displaying no fear. “You see, Ken, I see you as Fenrir. The untamable force that can break free of the chains I set.”

“What is your point?” Ken asked as he attempted to read through Hamund’s riddles.

“My point is” Hamund said as he leaned forward, his voice softened, his hands were clenched on the table. “Even Fenrir had to wait for the right moment to strike. Even the wildest beast can be kept at bay until the time is right. And when that time comes, when the wolf finally bares his fangs. It’s not just the leader that falls, It’s the end of generations.”

Ken felt his heart pounding as he was no longer sure if this conversation was a threat or an invitation.

“Are you saying I’m destined to destroy you?” Ken asked, his voice barely a whisper as he choked on the tension.

Hamund smiled a wide smile, his smile was as cold as the outer walls of the ship. “Maybe. maybe not. I was never one for the idea of fate or destiny, but I believe in the inevitable force of a man with corrupt ambitions. Fenrir wasn’t destined to destroy, but the chains the gods dressed him in–once they pushed him too far–destruction became the only outcome.” Hamund stood up and walked past Ken, before Hamund departed the room he whispered “It is just a story though, who really knows the fate of the gods.”